Cupid draw back your bow…Useful tips for handling office romance.
We spend long hours in the office, in close proximity to colleagues – it’s no wonder that Cupid can sneak in and fire his little arrows! Sharing a close physical space with someone can encourage inter-personal attraction, as social psychologists discovered years ago.
A survey of office workers last year found that more than half had paired up with someone from work, whether it was a simply for a quick fling or a stable, long-term relationship. And it’s thought that social media has played a role in encouraging workplace romance in the digital age.
Office romances can get notoriously messy, although they don’t always have an unhappy conclusion, and reportedly end in marriage in 30% of cases.
However, personal liaisons in the workplace do need careful handling to avoid emotional fallout and damage to team morale.
So, with Valentine’s Day looming, we’ve put together a few useful tips for handling love affairs in the office:
- DO keep physical contact strictly off the menu while working. You should be 100 per cent discreet at work. Women wearing extra lipstick or men improving their dress code to impress the object of their desire won’t go unnoticed by workmates. There are always eagle-eyed colleagues who enjoy people-watching!
- DO check what your company handbook has to say about office romances. Not all companies have rules about your personal relationships at work, but some do.
- DO keep away from married colleagues and consider the consequences of an illicit relationship. You will encounter disapproval among your colleagues and possibly cause untold heartache to innocent parties.
- DO remember that among your team at work, people’s romantic lives are in various states of repair-some of your workmates are blissfully happy while others are coming to terms with broken relationships and possibly even divorce. You might find your relationship at work triggers jealousy in another colleague. It’s best to keep your relationships with co-workers in good order – you need a supportive team around you to do your job well.
- DO remember that although office romance isn’t a crime, it is sometimes wise to seek alternative employment if your relationship is long-term and serious. It can be quite a pressure to refrain from any shows of affection for eight hours every day.
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